a brief guide to living in norway

8/9/2019 A Brief Guide to Living in Norway

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06-07

A BRIEFGuIdE to

LIVING INNoRwAy.

www.StudyINNoRwAy.No


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ASPIRE. INSPIRE.

INtRoductIoN.

Why Norway?

This booklet is for anyone who is thinking about living in Norway. A crash course in Norway,if you like. Its designed to give you a brief guide to Norwegian society and culture; lifestyle,behaviour and opinions. We hope that this brochure will make it easier to make the decision,easier to arrive in Norway and easier to t in, since youll know a few things about whatto expect.

Which is a good thing, because Norway c an be confusing at rst - and Norwegians are a veryodd people - they are walking paradoxes! Norwegians consume more coffee per capita thanany other country on the planet, and read more papers than any other people in the world.So on the one hand were a nation of wide-awake, extremely well informed people. On theother hand, some Norwegians enjoy living in places where the sun doesnt shine for monthsat a time, and consider sh marinated in caustic soda or dried and blowtorched sheeps heada prime delicacy. This all points to something essential about Norway: a strange mixture ofdown-to-earthness, curiosity, tradition and innovation in the people here, all co mbined with ahealthy dose of surrealism and madness. This, if nothing else, means that being a Norwegianmeans you have to develop a keen sense of irony.

Youll be here as part of yo ur studies, so were sure youll be happy to hear that Norway has one

of the highest standards of general education in the world. Were wide-awake, well informedand well educated. Our egalitarian and freely available education system has led to a remark-able level of education, especially when it comes to women: over 60 percent of all highereducation students in Norway are women.

It has been often said that the average Norwegian is shy and reserved. If this is your rstimpression, dont worry. Youll eventually discover the warm and friendly side of us. Onceyou crack our hard, rugged exteriors, were very friendly and welcoming.

So we hope that this brochure will inspire yo u to come to Norway. Stay a while. Go to school.Have a cup of coffee. Norway just isnt the same without you.

coNtENtS

Society p.4Lifestyle p.14Culture p.20Dining p.28Climate p.34Foreign students about Norway p.38


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Society NoRwEGIAN VALuES ARE RootEd IN EGALItARIANIdEALS. At thE BEGINNING oF thE 20th cENtuRy,wE BEGAN ENActING FAIRLy RAdIcAL wELFARELAwS, cuLmINAtING IN thE PoSt-wAR yEARS

SwEEPING REFoRmS thAt tuRNEd NoRwAy INtothE PRoGRESSIVE wELFARE StAtE It IS todAy.thE wELFARE StAtE IS StILL thE IdEAL FoR moStNoRwEGIANS, Not LEASt BEcAuSE It SEEmS to BEdoING quItE wELL.

Nrwa undubdl has n f h bs wlfar ssms n h wrld, mak-ng sur ha ppl wh ar sk and unabl wrk, r wh ar unmpldfr whavr rasn ar n lf u n h ld, bu ar gvn suppr s hah ar abl lv wh dgn. ths, upld wh a srng publ dua-n ssm and publ halh ar ssm, has lad a s n whh sasr bun bak frm a bad sar n lf, r a bad ar. W lk hnkha s hs dals, and n jus ur mnar walh, ha has mad hUnd Nans nssnl rank Nrwa as h bs unr n whh lvn rn ars.


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th galaran valus whh ar a h r f h wlfar sa als manfshmslvs hrughu Nrwgan s n man was - fr nsan n hld f gndr qual. th nvl da ha wmn ar qual mn andshuld hrfr hav an qual sa n runnng s dd ak sm m ah hld n ms f h wrld, bu Nrwa was n h lad: was nf h rs nans gv wmn h rgh v. Nrwa was als amngh rs unrs n h wrld l a fmal prm mnsr, Gr HarlmBrundland, wh was ld prm mnsr f Nrwa n 1981 (and hadgh wmn n hr abn, an nrdbl numbr a h m), and whlar srvd n ha psn fr ms f h la ghs and h rs half fh nns. Baus f hs, and av gvrnmn suppr f gndr qual-, wmn hav bn sadl lmbng n sandng vr h pas f ars.Sll, h gal f al qual rmans a lng wa ff: whl fr prn fh rprsnavs n Parlamn ar fmal, nl n n vr n mpandrrs ar wmn.

Gndr qual has ranl hangd h Nrwgan mals rl as a fahr.Nrwa has a parn lav qua, s ha fahrs an als ak xndd mff b wh hr hldrn. ths has hlpd mak h mxng f arrs andfaml a l asr.

Nrwa s sll nw a mululuralsm. Frm bng a msl hnallhmgnus s, Nrwa has gn bng a glbalsd, uluralldvrs nan wh massv mmgran mmuns, and has dn sn jus 35 ars. Fr ars ag, ms Nrwgans had nvr sn ann

wh dark skn, and da narl a quarr f h zns f h apal ,osl, ar mmgrans, as s a ll vr 8% f h al ppulan f Nrwa.th ransn prss has n bn as r panlss, bu whl hr s sllsm ulural nsn bwn mmgrans and hn Nrwgans, Nrwasms b larnng fas. Ms ppl, parularl n s, vw mul-h-n as a naural par f hr vrda lf.

GENdER EquALIty hAScERtAINLy chANGEd thENoRwEGIAN mALES RoLEAS A FAthER.

SOCIETY


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hVoR KAN JEGKJPE EN L?

KoR FR KJPt EN L?KESt E dA RAo FAo KJPt EI L?

LANGuAGES ANd dIALEctS. Nrwa was, unl farl rnl, slad pksf human makng a lvng n h valls bwn h munanus araswhh vr ms f Nrwa. travl was dful and mmunan wasslw. As a rsul, lal and rgnal dals hav dvlpd n hr wn,prdung an nrdbl rang f sunds and wrds, wh radal dffrnsfrm n anhr. th sam wrd an b prnund n hundrds f dffr-n was arss Nrwa. N dal s nsdrd hav mr wrh hananhr, xp b h ppl wh spak hm. Ms Nrwgan dals wh sm nabl xpns - ar undrsandabl n u g undr-sand a ll Nrwgan.

t add h nfusn, w hav hr fal wrn languags n Nrwa:Bkml, Nnrsk and Sam. th w bggs ar Bkml and Nnrsk. Bk-ml s basd n wrn Dansh, whh was h fal languag f Nrwafr hundrds f ars. Nnrsk was rad b lngus ivar Aasn n h1850s, and s a mplan and mbnan f sm (msl Ws-Nrw-gan) rgnal dals. th w languags ar n vr far apar, bu d rh larg rgnal dffrns. Gnrall, f u undrsand n f h wlanguags, u an undrsand h hr farl asl. ofall Bkml andNnrsk hav bn ardd qual saus, alhugh Bkml s mr wdlusd n osl and h largr wns. Nnrsk s usd b abu 10-15 pr n fh ppulan, msl n h ws as. yu wll als nd a subsanal parf gvrnmn dumns, hurh srvs and publ bradasng wrnn Nnrsk.

Sam, n h hr hand, s a mnr languag usd b h ndgnus Samppl. i s mhr ngu abu 20,000 ndvduals n Nrwa. Sam s ammbr f h Fnn-Ugr branh f languags, and Nrh Sam has bnsablshd as an fal languag qual wh Nrwgan. i s msl usd nFnnmark a rgn n Nrhrn Nrwa.

Bu f ur n plannng n larnng Nrwgan, dn wrr: Nrwganhldrn sar larnng englsh a shl a h ag f sx and as a rsul,praall vrn n Nrwa has sm skll n englsh (and hrall

Typical way of asking where to buy beer in Northern Norway.

Typical way of asking where to buy beer in Oslo.

Typical way of asking where to buy beer in Sogn.

*Or you can just learn how to say l!

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CHAPTER TITLE 06-07

NoRwAyS RELAtIVELy SmALLPoPuLAtIoN oF 4.5 mILLIoNIS SPREAd thRouGhoutthE couNtRy. tINy VILLAGEENcLAVES ARE FouNd IN SomEoF thE moSt REmotE PLAcES.


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spakng als hr Grman r Frnh). yung ppl n parular ar ms-l mpll un n englsh. on h hr hand, englsh-spakng lmsand lvsn srs ar subld nsad f dubbd. S f u an rad hs,u shuld hav n prblm spakng hr ppl, r vn jus wahnglvsn n Nrwa. Bu u shuldn sa n all h m. G udrs! isspaular! Mr n hs lar.

RuRAL/uRBAN. Manland Nrwa vrs 324,000 squar klmrs,bu baus f all h munans, supprs nl a mparavl smallppulan f 4.5 mlln. th gvrnmn avl nurags grwh nulng dsrs b supprng smallr wns and hamls wh grans andhr fundng shms. As a rsul, ndusrs, shls and hspals, as wllas ulural nsuns, an b fund hrughu rural Nrwa. ths alsmans ha nfrasruur n rural Nrwa s surprsngl dvlpd, and uan nwg bradband inrn and a dubl la n alms vr las p f rkn Nrwa. in kpng wh hs pl, unvrs llgs hav bn sab-lshd n h unrsd as wll as n h s.

Sll, h rural/urban dsnn rmans mpran. th dffrn bwnurban nrs and rural prphr s n f h drvng frs n Nrwganulur and pls, and hs s als rd a h ms bas lvl f gvrn-mn, sn ur ln ssm has prprnal rprsnan. ths mansha h mr sparsl ppulad nsuns arund Nrwa hav agrar rprsnan n h Srng (ur parlamn) han hr ppulan

wuld suggs, h da bng ha hs kps h s frm lgslang un-farl and dranng h rural dsrs f rsurs. Dsp all hs, h ruralpar f Nrwa has grwn nrasngl dppulad vr h pas 25 ars.Du glbalsan and h ndn wards usurng, man Nrwganmpans hav fl mplld ls dwn man lal rnrsn ndus-rs, and hs has ld prvusl prsprus small wns lsng h abl susan hmslvs.

oIL NAtIoN. Abu hr ars ag, w fund l n h wars ff Nrwa,and sn hn h hnlgal and nm dvlpmn hav bn xp-nal. Nrwa s nw h hrd-largs xprr f rud l n h wrld, ands sng n rughl 50% f h rmanng l rsrvs n Wsrn eurp.

PEAcE woRKER. our prvlgd suan, upld wh h galaranvalus n whh Nrwgan pls ar basd, hav fn gvn Nrwganplans a mral mprav ngag n pa prsss and advahuman rghs and humanaran ad. ths lads an nrsng frgnpl, shapd b hngs lk Nrwa gvng a subsanal prprn f sannual budg as humanaran ad, and Nrwa and Nrwgan pabrkrs havng bn avl nvlvd n falang pa slmns. Anxampl f h las s h osl Ard bwn isral and Palsn, whhNrwa hlpd fala, bu Nrwa has als bn havl nvlvd n paprsss n h Balkans, clmba, Guamala, Sudan and Sr Lanka.

Nrwa has msl had h rl f bng a falar wh ss h abl andhlps h w pars n h n alk. th da s ha sn Nrwa s asmall unr wh n parular asprans f suprpwr saus, n mlarlu, and n vsd nrss n h n, ha bh sds n wll rus usnugh allw us mda h agrmn.

thE NoBEL PEAcE PRIzE. Anhr nnn wh pa wrk s ha h NblPa Prz s awardd n Nrwa b a Nrwgan jur. Sm ma hnk f

as h Aadm Awards fr plans, bu s an mpran nsunhlpng gv rsurs, publ and rdbl h unslsh fw whsruggl agans h gran ra a lasng pa. Dsp bng nsudb h man wh nvnd dnam (h was Swdsh, b h wa), s sll hms prsgus pa prz, nsdrd h ms mpran rgnn fh ulma plal ahvmn. i s arguabl h sngl ms mpranaward n h wrld.

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LiFeStyLe

thE NoRwEGIAN cABIN IS ANINStItutIoN IN ItSELF ANd dEEPLyENGRAINEd IN thE cuLtuRE.


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SPAcE. ousd f h s, Nrwa s msl vr ruggd rran:munanus rgns vr ms f Nrwa, nrsprsd wh valls, fjrdsand h asnal glar. th snr s, pu planl, spaular, whbrahakng vsas alms vrwhr. Nrwa s qu smpl n f hms bauful and spal plas n eurp, and wll wrh akng h m walk arund n. th fa ha ms f Nrwa s mad f rk als urnsNrwa n n f h las ppulad unrs n eurp. onl iland haslss ppl pr squar ml han Nrwa. ths mans ha u dn hav g vr far usd h s bfr ur u f h ppulad aras (n msass, lss han an hur f walkng u f h nr wll g u nsm-wldrnss).

thE GREAt outdooRS. ths als mans ha Nrwgans lv n h srangsf plas, fn qu far awa frm nrs (ull b surprsd a h kndf plas s pssbl buld a hus. i s n unmmn nd a husn sm grass pah n an urppng far abv a fjrd; r nd 9 nhuss n a ragg p f rk u n h an, wh h nhabansmakng a lvng farmng shp). Hwvr, man Nrwgans hav gawaabns n mr rm aras, and had hr durng vaans and nanalhldas. ths ar fn vr smpl ammdans, wh bunk bds, nrunnng war and udr ls. Bu hs s n rall g awa frmppl. i shuld als b rmmbrd ha hs abns als nsu asal sn. on gs hr wh frnds and faml spnd m ghr.if nhng ls, h pn h srang nd Nrwgans hav fr aknglng, grullng hks r sk rps hrugh h wldrnss.

thE SocIAL NoRwEGIAN. th rpuan ha Nrwgans hav fr bngunsabl s hrughl dsprvn svral ms a ar. Nrwas NanalDa lbrans n Ma 17h, fr nsan. th Nanal Da lbrasNrwas rs cnsun f 1814, and s a lbran f sprng and warmwahr. th radnal wa f lbrang hs s drss up n ns nslhs - fn h nanal sums bunad - and ak h srs (whhar lard f ars fr h asn) n gra hrngs nj parads, musand prfrmans. i an b qu spaular.

A NEw LIFEStyLE. i shuld als b nd ha h pal Nrwgan wa flf, f suh a nn sll maks sns, s hangng rapdl, and ha h lasw gnrans lfsl hav had an nrdbl mpa n h shap andsruur f Nrwgan s and h Nrwgan mnal. th ungnd ravl muh mr han hr parns and grandparns, h spndfar mr m and mn a rsaurans and bars, and h ar lss prn h smpl udr lf ha Nrwgans radnall lvd. Wh hunprdnd lvls f nm walh nw njd b ms Nrwgans,man prfr ravl h wrld fr hr hldas r h buld bg luxurabns ha wuldn hav bn nsdrd a h wn ars ag.Wha ppl d, hw h dn hmslvs, s hangng drasall whah gnran. tda, ppl ar rng nd a pla n h nfrmannm. eduan parns; gndr rls and faml sruurs; salparns and habs; valus and ulural saus: s all hangng wh ahpassng mnh. Wha Nrwa s, s hard dn. Bu ha hs s anmpran m n Nrwgan hsr s fr ran.

16-17LIFESTYLE


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CHAPTER TITLE 06-07

After A cold And dArk winter, norwegiAnsknow how to AppreciAte A wArm, sunny dAy.


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cULtURe GRIEG.muNch.

RyKSoPP.IBSEN.GARBAREK.FoSSE.A-hA.BoINE.hAmSuN.quARt FEStIVAL.SNhEttA.ANdSNES.doLVEN.GAARdER.


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Fr suh a small ppulan, Nrwa has an nrdbl rh, amplshdand vard ulural sn, hanks n par gvrnmn fundng f arssand nsuns hrugh ur Ars cunl, whh nans arss f allknds arss Nrwa.

A vr brf, vr nmpl nrdun h ms mpran arssf Nrwa:

cLASSIcAL muSIc. edvard Grg (1843-1907) s hugh f b ms pplas Nrwas gras mpsr. Grgs mus s rman wh a nanalssrak, usng sals and mds frm Nrwgan flk mus ra bau-ful, mdrn (fr s m, ha s) mprssns ps. Hs ms famuswrks ar hs Lral Ps fr pan, hs Pan cnr n A Mnr andhs ndnal mus Hnrk ibsns Pr Gn.

Nrwa als has sm nrnanall rnwnd lassal prfrmrs, lkpan plar Lf ov Andsns, wdl rgardd as n f h gras lassalmus prfrmrs n h wrld, and wnnr f svral Gramphn Awards.H s parularl wll knwn fr hs nrprans f Grgs mus, and sfn sn n Grgs hm wn f Brgn. th lls truls Mrk s als awll-knwn nrnanal prfrmr f Grgs mus, and s an usandngprfrmr bh f hambr mus and as a sls fr an rhsra.

JAzz. Nrwas jazz sn s phnmnal. evrn agrs ha Nrwahas n f h ms nrsng jazz sns n eurp, wh ah sussv

gnran f musans rnvnng and rang hr wn musallanguag, frm h wrld-nund, alms-ambn munan jazz f h80s and arl 90s hrugh h lrna-basd prd f h la 90s nh hard-bp and fr mprv-nund sls f h ungr gnran.Nams lk Jan Garbark, Mar Bn, Arld Andrsn, Nls-Pr Mlvr,and Bugg Wsslf hav mad hr nams nrnanall. Whl hungr gnran f arss, wh nams lk Paal Nlssn-Lv, HvardWk, Kjl Msr, Hkn Krnsad, Suprsln, Jaga Jazzs and Wbu

ar ganng wdr and wdr rgnn as wrld-lass arss n h ungrmark. Wh Nrwa has suh a srng jazz sn s hard sa, alhughranl h jazz prgramm a h Nrwgan Unvrs f Sn andthnlg n trndhm, whh has bn urnng u prfrmrs sn1979, and gnrus publ fundng has als hlpd.

PoP/RocK/ELEctRoNIcA. th pas svn r gh ars hav bn gd Nrwgan ppular mus as. th s-alld Brgn Wav, n parular,brugh a numbr f bands frm h f Brgn n Wsrn Nrwa gra ppular n Nrwa and abrad. Nams lk Rkspp, Kngs fcnvnn, Sndr Lrh, Magn, erlnd , Ralph Mrz and hJak Hrrn Band and Ann ar sll wdl knwn and ur hrughuh wrld. ohr pars f h unr hav als prdud a l f ppularbands and arss n h pas ars n h pp and rk lds, wh smprmnn nams bng Ln Marln, thmas Dpdahl, Xpldng Plasx,

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Kazrs orhsra, An Brun, Brn Zlz, M2M and G, wh smldr ppular arss lk A-Ha, Bl can, turbngr, and Sssl Krkjbsll rgularl urng and prdung rrds. th Nrwgan hav mal anddah mal sn, manwhl, s unvrsall aknwldgd as suprr allhr suh sns n h wrld, wh nams lk Dmmu Brgr, Sarn,immral, Darkhrn and Burzum havng ahvd wrldwd lbr and/r nr.

LItERAtuRE. Nrwa has prdud mr han s shar f h gra ps,plawrghs and nvlss f ur m.

Hnrk ibsn (1828 - 1906), h nnar f whs dah s bng lbradhrughu 2006 wh muh ad, s prbabl n f h hr ms rspddramass n h wrld, and s prfrmd alms as muh as Shakspararund h wrld. H s nsdrd h fahr f h rals drama, anmpran pr-mdrns nun and a gra sal r. Hs ls fannal plas nluds A Dlls Hus, Ghss, Pr Gn, Hdda Gablrand An enm f h Ppl.

thr Nrwgan auhrs hav rvd h Nbl Prz fr Lraur: SgrdUnds (1882-1949) was awardd h Nbl Prz fr Lraur n 1928 frhr pwrful dsrpns f Nrhrn lf durng h Mddl Ags; KnuHamsun (1859-1952) wn h Nbl Prz n 1920 fr hs mnumnalwrk, Grwh f h Sl and Bjrnsjrn Bjrnsn (1832-1910) rvd hprz n 1903 as a rbu hs nbl, magnn and vrsal pr. of

hs hr, h gra, nral mdrns nvls Knu Hamsun s prbablh n wh uv hard f. if n, Grwh f h Sl, Hungr and Pan arranslad n man languags.

coNtEmPoRARy LItERAtuRE. Jn Fss s urrnl Nrwas ms ppularlvng dramas bh nanall and nrnanall. Hs plas ar mpllmnmals wh an abslul nfurang, rpv sl, dlvng dpn h xsnal darknss f man and graspng fr hngs languag

ann xprss. Whl Fss ma n b h knd f hng u rad aluda pars, hs granss s ndspuabl and ann wanng knw abunmprar Nrwgan lraur shuld sar wh hm. H als wrsnvls, pr, ssas and hldrns bks. Hs wrk has bn ransladn 20 languags.

Sm f h bs-knwn urrn auhrs nlud Jsn Gaardr, wh wrSphs Wrld - A Nvl abu h Hsr f Phlsph. th nvl, a sr fmsr/hsr-f-phlsph4kdz has bn ranslad n mr languagshan u an shak a sk a and has sld mr han 25 mlln ps.

Lars Saab chrsnsn g hs nrnanal brakhrugh wh Halvbrrn(th Half Brhr) and man f Saab chrsnsns nvls hav bnranslad n svral eurpan languags.

FINE ARt. th Nrwgan panr edvard Munh (1863-1944) was n f hpnrs f h exprssns mvmn n mdrn panng. yuv almsranl sn hs ndlssl-rprdud Sram, an unnrvng xprssnsxplran f xsnal angs, has b nw bn urnd n mus pads,bk vrs, dskp bakgrunds, hrrr mv prps and psrs all vrh wrld. i s prbabl n f h hr ms famus panngs arund hwrld ha ar lss han 150 ars ld. Whn Munh dd n Januar 1944, bam knwn ha h had unndnall bquahd all hs rmanngwrks h c f osl. th bul th Munh Musum n 1963 hus hs unqu lln f apprxmal 1100 panngs, 4500 drawngs

and 18,000 prns. i s wll wrh a vs s mr f Munh.

Ann Karn Dlvn s a nmprar vd ars and panr. Sh hasgand nrnanal rgnn wh hr arfull nsdrd vds,dsrbd as frmal n sl and spar n narrav xprssn humurand rsm a ms vn smulanusl.

24-25CULTURE


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ARchItEctuRE. Nrwa s famus fr s unqu Sav churhs, whh arwdn hurhs bul as arl as h 12h nur. Als, man n xamplsf h Jugnd/Ar Nuvau sl f arhur an b fund n Nrwa, frnsan n lsund, whr ms f h nr was rbul n ha slafr a aasrph r n 1904.

Whn ms nmprar arhur, h Snha arhural rmbasd n Nrwa has ahvd gra nrnanal fam fr hr lw-k, l,Sandnavan sl. th ar bhnd man hgh-prl prjs suh as thBblha Alxandrna n Alxandra, egp, h nw opra Hus n osl,and h Vsrs cnr a h Wrld trad cnr mmral s n Nw yrk.

FEStIVALS. Fsvals ak pla hrughu h ar, vrng all aras fulur nludng mus, lm, lraur and varus frms f ar. NrwaFsvals s h rgansan ha hlps rdna and dvlp all hNrwgan fsvals. Mld inrnanal Jazz Fsval, h Quar Fsval andNrwgan Wd ar all nrnanal mus fsvals arang rnwndprfrmrs frm all vr h wrld.

thr ar hr ravllng ulural nsuns n Nrwa: th NrwganNanal turng thar Rksar, h Nanal turng cnrsRksknsrn and h Nanal turng exhbrs Rksgallr. thsnsuns ar all fundd b h gvrnmn and prfrm arss h unr.

26-27CULTURE

illusran: Snha


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DiNiNG NoRwEGIAN dININGhABItS hAVE, PERhAPS NotSuRPRISINGLy, chANGEdRAdIcALLy IN thE PASt150 yEARS.FRom BEING A NAtIoN thAt SuBSIStEd mAINLy oNhERRING ANd PoRRIdGE, to BEING A modERN,GLoBALISEd cuLINARy EcoNomy, whERE EVERythINGFRom SuShI to PAStA to SomEthING RIdIcuLouSLySPIcy out oF thE thAI cooKBooK ARE ALL PoSSIBLEStAPLE FoodS.


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xampls ar raspballr: Grad, raw pas ha ar mashd ghr whur and sal n ll balls and bld; r pnnkj, whh s sald mafrm drd mun rbs. Sm xampls f h mr dsnra dshsar fr nsan smalahvud, whh s a shps had ha has bn burndwh a blwrh, smkd and hn bld. yu a h hks, ngu ands. Anhr suh favur s lusk. ths s sh ha has bn sakd n ambnan f ld war and aus sda - a subsan msl usd n sapr rbard ramn - rdung a rugh, jll-lk nssn. Nbdrall knws wh dvlpd ha sunnng dspla f ulnar laral hnkng,bu s sll gng srng nurs lar. is vr unlkl ann wll maku a hs, bu s all par f h mpl Nrwa xprn.

dINING IN - dINING out. th numbr f rsaurans n Nrwa s rsng, andalms vr knd f nanal fd ulurs an b fund n h s - frmJapans Vnams Lbans chns. th qual f fd hasgnrall gn up, whl prs hav bn adjusng wards h wag lvl asngrdns hav bm hapr. thrfr, s nw bmng nrasnglpssbl dn u fn n a sudn budg, spall f u sr lar fh wn ls.

ALcohoL. ths s baus wn s prhbvl xpnsv n Nrwganrsaurans, and br an als pu qu a dn n ur budg. A pn anasl s bwn 5 and 7 urs n bh lubs and rsaurans. ths sprbabl wh h Nrwgan radn f h vrspl has bn nsud.Vrspl, a Grman wrd lrall ranslad as frpla, s a small par hld

n a prva rsdn wh frnds. Hr, h ppl wh ar gng u wllwarm up wh sr-bugh br r sprs (whh ar muh mr affrdablhan n lubs) bfr gng u arund 11-12pm, and sang u unl hlubs ls a arund 3.30am. thn h wll g hm r fr h parularlrsln, hr wll fn b a nahspl (afrpla). th nahspl s anafrpar n whh usuall jus a small grup f ppl wnd dwn frm abg ngh.

coFFEE. Lk wv alrad sablshd, Nrwgans drnk mr ff hanann ls n h wrld. in rural Nrwa, gng nvd n fr ff ansmms sm b h nral frm f sal nran. in h laswn ars, a af ulur has urshd hrughu Nrwa, and as a rsul,Nrwgans ar gng rall gd a ff. ths s gd, baus a h ndf h da, an avrag Nrwgan wll drnk abu v ups f plan blakff. Durng ur da a h unvrs u wll nd ha a l f nrsngdsussns ak pla durng ff braks. yu wll als g aquand whh xprssn g fr a ff. ths mans ls g and alk vr ff.Mab h rural and urban ulurs ar n as dffrn as h lk hnk?

32-33DINING


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cLiMAte


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CHAPTER TITLE

Nrwgans lv alk abu h wahr. A jk abu ppl frm h nrhf Nrwa gs ha hll nvr d anhng ls whn h wahr rpr sn, and h fllwng ps f phn nvrsans nsu: ur prgnan?thas gra! exus m, h wahr s n. yur dng? oh, has anu all bak afr h wahr? . Bu s n rall ha srang. Wahrn Nrwa s drama and hangs vr fas, and an fn mpllhang h pns fr wha s pssbl d n an gvn da.

if u g a map, ull s ha Nrwa s a h nrhrnms nd f eurpwh h snd largs , Brgn, n h ws as rughl bng h samlaud as suhrnms Grnland. Nrwa s hrfr fn rgardd as ald and w unr. thugh hs s ru n sm rgns, Nrwas lmas wldl dffrn frm rgn rgn and sasn sasn, and h nrasln s gral warmd b h Gulf Sram, urnng Nrwa n a mrarav vaan sp han Grnland.

Ms f Nrwa suh f trndhm s a mpra lma. ths mans hasuhrl nland lmas ar dr and vr ld n h wnr and qu h nh summrm. th Nrh an b pr ld and w xp fr h brfsummr mnhs. casal lmas n h suh ar mld and w n all sasns.

th Nrwgan summr n all rgns s qu plasan, bng nhr h nr ld, alhugh wll smms b nrrupd b ran r ldrprds. Summr als brngs abu a markd hang n h pshlg f havrag Nrwgan, urnng hm n a bsrus, jus ppl, agr

ah up h wnrm b njng h udrs wh frnds. in NrhrnNrwa, h summrs hav mdngh sun. th summr s lrall n lngda and vnng ha nvr urns n ngh.

ths s all pah, bu n h wnr h Nrhrnrs pa fr hs xravagansummr wh a mnh f n sun, n whh h sun nvr lavs h hrzn.Wnrs n gnral ar qu dffrn n dffrn pars f h unr, whh nrh havng hard, ar wnrs, and h suhws msl havng mld,w avrag eurpan wnrs.

NoRwEGIANS LoVE BEINGoutSIdE ANd woNt LEt SNow,RAIN oR coLd StoP thEm.

36-37


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FoReiGN StUDeNtS ABoUt NoRWAy


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It is also great that students here can talk to their lecturers and come to their ofce

to have tutorials. Norwegian students should feel more privileged as they receive free

education during all their years of schooling. What is strange to an Asian person, is

the fact that Norwegians keep on educating themselves after the age of 50 and that

employees within all kinds of occupations attend courses and seminars all through

their working lives. This is what Norwegians call lifelong learning.

REN wAGNER, GERmANy. Norway is a popular destination for German students.

I think it has to do with the astonishing nature and the down to earth society. I also

think Norway is innovative with a highly educated population. The universities are

well equipped and I nd that my options to develop academically are very good here.

Compared to my student experiences in Germany, it is very easy to nd student

activities here. The activities are located within a small area and are highly

accessible. It seems like students are more motivated to join student organisations

in Norway compared to my experiences in Germany. I think this may be because

Norwegians are more familiar with being in groups than Germans.

It may seem a bit difcult to get to know Norwegians on a deeper level at rst,

but once you get to know them the support and communication is very open

and generous.

ELISA, thE PhILIPPINES. Its nice that pregnant women, single mothers and women

with children can easily be students in Norway, whereas women in severa l countries

in Asia will have to quit their studies once they become pregnant. Norwegians

accept single mothers as well as divorced persons.

tomAS, SLoVAKIA. Its amazing to nd so many educational institutions spread

all over Norway, and its interesting that you dont have to live in the capital or in

other cities in order to have access to higher education. Studies are often exible

so you can choose different disciplines inside your eld of study and combine them

with studies abroad.

The arrangement with the State Educational Loan Fund contributes to almost

no class distinction. You might also have a job while you study. Most exams are

written, but Im used to oral exams from my home country. Like other Norwegians,

students are proud of their dialects and use them wherever they live and on any oc-

casion or discussing any matter. This can sometimes be quite a challenge.

40-41FOREIGN STUDENTS ABOUT NORWAY


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AchIEVE.ENJoy.

SomE FActS ABout NoRwAy

officiAl nAme: th Kngdm f Nrwa

locAtion: Nrhrn eurp wh brdrs Fnland, Swdn, Russa, h Nrh Sa and hNrh Alan oan

AreA: th Kngdm f Nrwa: 385 199 km2

mAinlAnd: 323 802 km2

svAlbArd And JAn mAyen: 61 397 km2

length of coAstline: 25 148 km, nludng fjrds

lArgest lAke: Mjsa, 362 km2

highest mountAin: Galdhpggn, 2 469 m

populAtion: 4 640 219 (01.01.06)

cApitAl city: osl

system of government: cnsunal mnarh

lAnguAge: Nrwgan Bkml and Nnrsk and nsm dsrs als Sam

monetAry unit: Nrwgan krnr, NoK

stAte church: churh f Nrwa. (evanglalchurh)

terrAin: 31 Nanal Parks and 11 glars

educAtionAl level: 23 prn f h ppulan

hav mpld hghr duan.nAturAl resources: Prlum, ppr, nauralgas, sh, mbr, hdrpwr

reAd more About norwAy At:

www.studyinnorway.no, www.norway.no

www.norway.info, www.visitnorway.com


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CHAPTER TITLE

NoRwEGIAN cENtRE FoR INtERNAtIoNALcooPERAtIoN IN hIGhER EducAtIoN (SIu)

Pb 7800 N-5020 Brgn, NrwaPhn: +47 55308800Fax: +47 55308801e-mal: [email protected]

Publshd b: cnr fr nrnanal pran n hghr

duan (SiU) www.su.n

edral nrburs: Lars ov Brvk, Jann-Ba Buans

Duk, Bn Gundrsn, Sjur Sllsns Hlsn, Marn Grnr

Larsn, Rdun Aamb

Ph: Ar Ph, Knu Br, Gur Dahl, Mar Rgnrud, frz-

mags/Alxandr Hagsadus, Kmm Saavd, G imags

cnp and dsgn: cbra

Prn: Brn offs

a brief guide to living in norway

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